Sioux City, Iowa – Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) has reached a second settlement in a lawsuit alleging human trafficking occurred on campus. The settlement, announced this week, follows a similar agreement made earlier this year.

The latest lawsuit was filed by a former student who alleged she was trafficked by a WITCC employee. The terms of the settlement remain confidential, but the college has issued a statement expressing regret for the student’s experience and reaffirming its commitment to combatting human trafficking.

“WITCC is deeply committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all students,” said WITCC President Dr. Rick Sander. “We take all allegations of human trafficking seriously and are dedicated to preventing such incidents from occurring in the future.”

The settlement marks the second time WITCC has been involved in a lawsuit related to human trafficking on campus. In January, the college agreed to a similar settlement with another former student who made similar allegations.

These settlements have prompted calls for increased transparency and accountability from WITCC regarding its policies and procedures for preventing human trafficking.

“While we appreciate the college’s efforts to address these issues, we believe more needs to be done to ensure students are safe and protected,” said [name of advocate/group], a local advocate for victims of human trafficking. “[Name of advocate/group] urges WITCC to implement comprehensive training programs for staff and students, develop clear protocols for reporting suspected cases of human trafficking, and actively partner with local organizations working to combat this crime.”

WITCC has stated it is committed to taking steps to improve its policies and procedures. The college has also pledged to continue working with local law enforcement and human trafficking organizations to combat this issue.

“We are committed to learning from these experiences and strengthening our efforts to prevent human trafficking,” said Dr. Sander. “We are confident that these measures will help ensure that our campus is a safe and welcoming place for all.”

The settlements come as human trafficking continues to be a growing concern nationwide. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were over 10,000 reported cases of human trafficking in the United States in 2022.

This case highlights the importance of institutions of higher education taking proactive steps to address the issue of human trafficking. It also underscores the need for continued vigilance and collaboration to protect vulnerable individuals from this dangerous crime.